Apple clarifies thank you remark

UH Manoa Tom Apple appeared before the State Senate Special Committee on Accountability on Oct. 2 to answer questions about the failed Stevie Wonder concert and its fallout.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple attempted today to clarify his testimony to a Senate panel last week when he said nearly all UH coaches “thanked him” after the removal of Jim Donovan as athletic director.

State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim sent Apple a letter Monday asking him to clarify some of his testimony to the special Senate Committee on Accountability. During the Oct. 2 panel session, Apple said, “in the interest of transparency, I’ll say something. I received a couple of weeks later (after Donovan’s removal) a letter from 43 of 44 coaches saying thank you for the leadership we have.”

UH officials later acknowledged that he was referring to an Aug. 28 letter signed by all but one head coach, asking Apple to “consider immediately appointing (UH vice president for student affairs) Dr. Rockne Freitas as our athletic director.” That letter made no mention of Donovan in the three paragraphs preceding the signatures, did not thank him for his leadership. It only touted Freitas, who had been named interim athletic director earlier in the month.

In a written response to Kim Thursday, Apple said he interpreted the coaches’ letter “to mean that they appreciated the leadership of the person whom I had appointed to the Interim Athletic Director position, and that they were happy about his being there.”

Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa) had asked him to "please, specifically, point out where the letter states that coaches remarked ‘thank you for the leadership we have.'"

In his reply, Apple said, “I may be wrong, but I thought I stated in my testimony before your committee that it was my opinion that the coaches who signed the letter wouldn’t have appeared so overwhelmingly supportive of the Interim AD if there had been significant support of the previous AD. As I was paraphrasing rather than quoting verbatim from the letter, I was relying on my recollection of it, and, therefore on the impression it had left on me.”

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the TERMS OF SERVICE. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. Because only subscribers are allowed to comment, we have your personal information and are able to contact you. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. To report comments that you believe do not follow our guidelines, email commentfeedback@staradvertiser.com.

Leave a comment

Name:

Comment:

Please login to leave a comment.

Aquarius1wrote:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, talking in circles? Sounds like it.

on October 11,2012 | 08:53PM

Name:

Comment:

Masamiwrote:

Oh PUHLEEZE.....................your SPIN grows weary.

on October 11,2012 | 09:07PM

Name:

Comment:

bobbobwrote:

spin cycle, wheeee..... just like what okabe is doing with the HSTA

on October 11,2012 | 09:14PM

Name:

Comment:

wm808hiwrote:

This guy is such a loser. Where did UH find this guy.

on October 11,2012 | 09:14PM

Name:

Comment:

bobbobwrote:

His continued attempts to duck and dodge the truth is just going to make people lose what little respect they have for him. Instead, man up, admit you tried to pull a fast one, and move forward. Because anyone with a 5th grade comprehension level can see that what he said does not equal to what the letter said at all. He's basically insulting the senate committee, the general public, and the UH coaches with his continued BS.

on October 11,2012 | 09:33PM

Name:

Comment:

Masamiwrote:

"Like"

on October 11,2012 | 09:42PM

Name:

Comment:

Masamiwrote:

"Instead, man up, admit you tried to pull a fast one, and move forward"
Exactly! If one can do that I'd give the person a "benefit of the doubt". But instead after getting this second chance to "make things right" he REINFORCED his disengenuous character to the State of Hawaii.
Incredible......................

on October 11,2012 | 10:26PM

Name:

Comment:

ski3779wrote:

He, the President, and BOR, are all sticking their middle finger at the State Senate, The are saying, shove it, where the sun does not shine. You, the State Senate, do not have any control of us. We can do whatever we want, and You, the State Senate, cannot do anything about it.

on October 11,2012 | 11:30PM

Name:

Comment:

ski3779wrote:

From the same mainland search company, who UH is paying alot of money to find a new AD. Looks like UH is wasting their money again. Hawaii people could have done a better job in finding someone better then him. Hate to see who that mainland search company comes up with for AD. I have a feeling it will be another Frazer, will UH ever learn. Time for the Hawaii State Government to take over UH, again. Since the State Government turned authority over to UH, things have gotten worse, and getting worse each passing day. And the troubles do not seem to be only athletic related. There is now trouble in the Marine Biology department. The list is growing, and growing fast.

on October 11,2012 | 11:18PM

Name:

Comment:

Masamiwrote:

"Did you brush your teeth this morning?" - Senator Kim
"Well, when I woke up I did what I usually do. I went to the bathroom and scratched my left ear. I then answered nature's morning call. And I think that's what I remember may have happened." - SPINmeister
"Did you brush your teeth this morning?" - Senator Kim
"To the best of my recollection I thought I answered your question" - SPINmeister
For what he gets paid he can't even answer in a concise truthful manner.............SHAME THOUGH.

on October 11,2012 | 09:15PM

Name:

Comment:

twitter6wrote:

Apple the magician, smoke and mirrors but at a minor league level. This guy needs a lot of help

on October 11,2012 | 09:39PM

Name:

Comment:

ddawsonwrote:

Just more and more BS. But it's OK, they all have iron clad contracts that pay them more money than they can spend, along with a golden parachute, so what difference does it make what he says. No one can do anything about it.

on October 11,2012 | 10:27PM

Name:

Comment:

NOTSHEEPwrote:

Another fast talking carpetbagger from the mainland getting big money figuring he can BS the local natives. How much of this can we stand. I think the problem is that people like him have been very successful in the past by doing exactly what he is doing. Gene Awakuni, please reconsider and come back. we need you now more than ever. PLEEEEEEESE!

on October 11,2012 | 10:46PM

Name:

Comment:

ski3779wrote:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, State Senate take back control of UH, before it is to late. Fire the whole lot of Upper Campus, and not to mention the officers of the BOR, too. UH needs a complete house cleaning. Now instead, of later. The BOR Chairperson said they will be more transparent. Well, guess he was talking with fork tongue. The first order of business the BOR's will not be transparent, BUT cloaked in secrecy.

on October 11,2012 | 11:26PM

Name:

Comment:

yojimbowrote:

how much are we paying apple? his capacity to interpret what the coaches wrote in support of rockne as approving his removal of jd is ludicrous. and this guy is the chancellor????
what a wahanui.
lets clean house. get rid of mrc, apple, the regents, and put in ordinary people, who have decency and common sense. install a business executive as the president of uh, as educators clearly do not have the capacity nor ability to run the university.
morons like mrc and dobelle have spent their entire lives in the academic ivory gold plated towers, and no experience how a university should be run. so, why not a business executive? the past two educators have failed miserably.
as far as the regents, i know of eleven of my firends who could do a better job, and we can pick up a homeless person to make twelve, to replace the clowns we have there now.
oh yeah, we doo't need big spender jim donovan back in a position where he can spend, spend, spend, and have a good time. can you believe, hugh yoshida still sucking the blood from uh??

on October 11,2012 | 11:43PM

Name:

Comment:

ehowzitwrote:

THERE IS TRANSPARENCY AFTER ALL...EVERYBODY CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH TOM A_._._._.LE'S B.S.. WHERE IS "VALKYRIE" WHEN WE NEED IT?